Depression
by Takuma
Summary: It's the end, or so Naruto thinks. When he finds himself in a different world where everyone dear to his heart is alive and well, he finds the will to live again. Maybe a fantasy is better than living in reality. NaruHina SasuSaku MinaKush JiraTsu & more.
1. Chapter 1

Sometimes it is better to live in a fantasy. At least a happily ever after could be achieved.

**Depression**

By: Takuma

All he knew was gone. Pain completely consumed him. His life was in shambles. His body ached yet his mind was numb. Glancing down to the right, he saw his comrade in arms lying in a pool of blood. His pale skin was caked in grime. His dark eyes were lifeless, and his body remained unmoving. His once shining blade was carelessly tossed to the side broken, stained…defeated.

There would never be another like Sai.

Reaching his hand out, Naruto carefully closed the cold eyelids of his friend. Tears streamed down his face. "Rest in peace," he gently whispered. The voice only spoke to deaf ears.

The jinchuuriki glanced to his left. His heart began to ache, and his eyes exposed his inner most feelings. It was so hard taking in the destruction of such a beautiful soul, his first love, and his teammate.

"Sakura…" his lips whispered. His voice cracked.

Her body lay crumpled beside him, her arms outstretched from when she healed his body for the last time. She was there by his side, her eyes bold and unwavering. Her determination and encouragement helped her teammate win. It was such a high cost she paid.

Her lips carried a smile; such a peaceful smile graced her lips. She deemed it honorable to die for the cause of Konoha. Her soft pink hair was easily tossed in the wind. "Oh… Sakura," the sole survivor of team seven whispered reaching out his left hand to tuck a few stray strands of hair behind her ear. "You always look peaceful when you sleep." But this time, she wouldn't open her brilliant green eyes. Not ever again.

His breathing became shallow.

Leaning back once more against a crumpled rock wall, the son of the 4th Hokage stared straight ahead. His goal of bringing back his best friend was achieved. The two rested in the walls of their birth village. One was barely alive, the other absolutely dead. Naruto placed a hand over the seal on his stomach—blood continued oozing from the horrific wound at a deathly pace. There was no way the jinchuuriki would see another sunrise… unless there happened to be a miracle. Naruto was always the miracle worker.

His eyes peered over the stone cold body of the last Uchiha. Before the final battle, Madara was brutally massacred by the Kyuubi leaving behind one sharingan-wielding kin. Sasuke was too far-gone mentally. He never realized what damage he left to his fellow ninja.

The tears fell.

Now, Sasuke could rest in pieces. His body lay in shreds. Ribbons of his flesh were littered everywhere in the rubble and destruction of Konoha. There was nothing left, only his dead eyes crying blood as the body oozed of plasma and water, his humanity and life.

Naruto felt his breath becoming shallower. It was harder to take in precious air on this clear summer day.

There was very little time left. Soon he would die, and the world would forget about the horrors and the heroic acts of a single man who carried a demon in his belly. Nineteen years of hardship went down the drain as he closed his eyes. He rested and let darkness consume him. Hopefully, hopefully in another life he would live better and bring a life full of hope for others.

Maybe then that world would not be corrupted with evil and darkness…

**-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-**

He heard a sound.

Beep.

Beep.

It was the steady sound from the heart monitor behind him.

His body relaxed.

He took in a deep breath.

The air smelt sterile. He was in a hospital.

Beep.

Beep.

Slowly Naruto opened his heavy eyes and glanced around. He saw the walls to the Konohagakure Hospital. He tried to refocus them to take in his surroundings. He felt no threat, but it was very uncomely for a ninja to be vulnerable and down for the count. Trying to swallow, he felt the dryness in his mouth.

'How long have I been sleeping?'

A bright red color instantly drew him in. His focus changed. The red color was actually hair! He studied the features of the person who slept heavily beside his bed.

Naruto gasped in surprise.

How could he _NOT_ recognize her? He'd seen her picture plenty of times! Making little effort to sit up, he stared long and hard at the woman who rested peacefully at his bedside.

This woman was his mother, Uzumaki Kushina!

But she died at childbirth! There was no way she should be sleeping here in the Konohagakure hospital, by his side, alive and well!

Sitting there amazed, Naruto couldn't stop staring at his long lost mother. There was so much he wanted to tell her! All the stories he had about becoming a ninja! He wanted to hug her, tell her how much he loved her. He wanted to rest in her arms like a young child—he wanted to know what a mother's embrace was like. He wanted to feel the simple comfort.

He heard glass break.

Naruto lifted his eyes. They widened at the sight of the Hyuga heiress, Hinata. She was alive and well? Maybe she hid in one of the war bunkers. He noticed no bruises or cuts. She was completely unharmed. His saw her lilac eyes: _emotions_. They were filled with unshed tears. Instantly she ran to his bedside, and she wrapped her arms around his gown-covered chest.

The jinchuuriki's breath hitched.

Glancing down to the sobbing girl, he hesitated. For the first time in Naruto's life, he witnessed the young woman's boldness. Not a timid bone was in sight. Her violent cries caused her whole body to shake. Naruto didn't like that. Hesitant at first, he carefully wrapped his arms around her. He tried to give her comfort. This was foreign territory to him. Not once in his life had a woman willingly flung herself at him—nonetheless in a fit of hysteria.

As he sat there frozen, his eye caught some movement. He glanced over and saw his mother's green eyes.

Her eyes were also filled with tears.

"Oh my baby!!!"

Naruto's eyes widened yet again. "M-mom?"

His voice brought a new level of hysterics to the older woman. She leaped from her chair and embraced both her son and Hinata. Naruto could only sit and stare in confusion.

He sat still.

What was going on? And how could he help to change the situation? In his nineteen years of life, he could think of no logical explanation to this phenomenon. He was stumped.

'Well… crap,' he mentally uttered. 'What am I supposed to do now?'

**Just wait it out.**

Naruto inwardly smiled. At least some things did not change, or confuse him beyond all means. 'Kyuubi!'

**What a surprise Kit. You woke up.**

Naruto frowned, 'What's that supposed to mean?'

**You will find out soon enough, **the voice echoed in his mind, **take my advice and play along with what the silly humans say. It will make your adjustment easier.**

'What do you mean by that Kyuubi?'

Silence.

'Kyuubi?'

"Naruto?"

The blond snapped out of his trance. "Huh?" Not the most intelligent thing to say, but to say he was surprised would be an understatement.

His mother smiled, "Welcome back to the land of the living."

Naruto stared at his mother for a moment. There was no way she could be alive and well. This all had to be a dream, a very vivid dream or a genjitsu. He would opt for the dream. At least then he knew he might wake up in a place away from harm.

"You were talking to the Kyuubi, weren't you Naruto?" asked his mother cautiously. She had long since removed her arms from around his and Hinata's body. Instead, she pushed the chair close to the side of her son's bed. The blond instantly felt self-conscious. He looked down in embarrassment.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay Naruto. Remember? Your father and I know that you have control over the Kyuubi so—"

"F-father?"

His stuttering voice instantly stopped Kushina in midsentence. She saw her son's eyes. Nothing could describe the horror etched in them. Kushina instantly knew something was wrong. "Hinata." Her voice was even, but her movements spoke otherwise, "I am going to call in the doctor and the Hokage. Please stay in here with my son."

It took Naruto a few seconds to realize Hinata held him tightly. It wasn't that he felt violated or anything, it was just a surprise someone so kind and shy would latch onto him like a life source. Her tears were long gone. Instead, a hesitant smile crossed her lips, "How are you feeling Naruto-kun?"

Naruto gave her a small smile. "Like a hundred million ryu! I've never felt so alive in my life!"

Which was a lie she didn't have to know. He was actually frightened, frightened beyond believe that not only was everything relatively 'normal', his mother was back from the dead. And said woman was about to get the Hokage. Naruto had a suspicion Kushina was _not_ talking Tsunade-baachan.

This could get ugly.

It wasn't even two seconds later that Naruto felt a strong presence. He looked up… and saw a yellow flash.

Oh _hell no_.

There was no way _this_ could be real!

His heart began racing and time stood still.

Before Naruto stood the Yondaime Hokage, his father with joyful eyes and a wide smile—the same smile his son inherited.

Kushina ran back into the room and stood by the Hokage. The man gave her a smile before sitting beside his son. Hinata released Naruto from the death grip to let the father sit beside his son. Blue met blue, and the father smile to his son. Naruto felt his heart beating faster and faster, much like it had when the eighth tail of the Kyuubi was released. Seeing his dad again could not put words into Naruto's mouth. For the man to be alive and well before him said something. The blond was not going to waste this chance with a live, breathing, and smiling Namikaze Minato.

Using his newly acquired energy, Naruto instantly launched himself at his father, and he tightly embraced the man.

No one could explain this phenomenon, but no words could express what was going through the minds of the observers.

"Hokage-sama," bowed a familiar figure walking into the room.

Naruto looked over his father's shoulder. He felt his heart clench and fall through his stomach. There was no way…

"Sakura-chan," he whispered, his eyes widening.

The medic-nin smiled as she carried in a clipboard. She carefully slipped the information in a plastic holder before walking over to her teammate. She had a bright smile on her lips.

_Her lips carried a smile; such a peaceful smile graced her lips, over her cold dead lips…_

"Naruto," uttered Hinata to the side, "Why are you so pale?"

The jinchuuriki felt his arms bring removed from around his father. His vision filled with the Yondaime's face. His concerned features looked over his son. His eyes were very analytical. He backed away as the young medic neared her life-long friend, "Naruto-kun. I need for you to do a few simple things to make sure everything is functioning—"

"…but you're dead."

She stared at him strangely. Yet that was not what caught her off guard. It was the chill in his voice that screamed for attention. The Hokage did not miss this statement either. Sakura shook off a shiver that traveled down her spine.

She gave him a bright smile. "Well, you can see that I am alive and well. Please state your full name."

The Kyuubi's voice echoed in his head. **Play along with their games**.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

The room stilled.

Sakura nodded her head. "Can you tell me what year it is?"

"19 AK." (1)

"How old are you?"

"Nineteen."

"What are the names of your parents?"

"Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina."

Naruto felt another chill fill the room. He had another gut retching feeling that he should have said something else. The jinchuuriki noticed his teammate perform a few hand symbols before touching his shoulder. A cold rush covered him: it was a lie detecting ninjitsu. 'Crap. Now there's no avoiding her questions.'

"Who is the current Hokage?"

Naruto gave her hesitant look. Her eyes were searching his before he turned to the blond man. Naruto heard Sakura call his father Hokage-sama, but would that be considered a lie? Maybe if he joked it off? Everyone's eye was on him.

Crap.

"Tsunade-baachan."

Naruto saw his father take a step forward. His mother halted the current Hokage's movements. She seemed just as alarmed as the others in the room. This was not good.

Sakura continued asking questions as she began to examine his physical appearances, "Who was your sensei after the academy?"

"Which one?" asked Naruto trying to be careful with his reply.

"Your sensei after the academy," stated the medic after a moment of hesitation.

"Hatake Kakashi."

"Your other sensei's name?" Sakura clarified.

"Jiraiya, Sannin and Toad Sage."

There was another chill in the room. Naruto forced himself to keep his eyes from closing in frustration, 'Crap…' She may have been referring to Iruka. Maybe it was a good thing he did not mention Yamato's name.

"Any other teachers?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head, '_Spoke too soon…' _"Iruka-sensei from the academy I guess." He released a mental sigh when she nodded her head.

"What are your teammate's names?"

"Obviously you, Haruno Sakura, and Uchiha Sasuke."

Sakura paused, "Do you have any other teammates or just those two?"

Naruto looked into her vivid green eyes. He scratched the back of his head. Why did she have to put that lie detector on him? "Well, later on Sai joined the group."

She nodded and asked one final question, "I have one more question to ask you, and then I will let you rest for a little while."

Naruto nodded his head in seriousness. He hoped he answered correctly.

"What is your current ninja ranking?"

"Jounin."

Glancing around the room, he saw saddened eyes. His parents were beyond words. His mother was on the verge of tears, and his father remained still and silent. Hinata watched him silently with sympathy as she reached for his hand. He glanced to the Hyuga as she smiled softly to him, "It's alright Naruto-kun."

He glanced back to Sakura as she grabbed the clipboard. She began to scribble down notes furiously. The blond started feeling his heart sink. He knew something was dreadfully wrong. He wasn't quite sure what it was though.

As he watched the medic-nin furiously scribble notes his memory began to flash before his eyes.

_She lay there, peacefully, broken, dead…_

Again and again he watched her die before his eyes. He saw her become weaker and weaker with each passing moment.

_Her hands glowed as she healed his wounds and restored his chakra. He saw her fade before his eyes._

_He __**saw**__ her haunting smile as she breathed her last—_

"I'll be back in about an hour," announced his very alive teammate. She gave him a comforting smile as she used her left hand to push back a few stray bangs. "If you're hungry please let us know. We'll make sure to bring a meal up to you immediately."

The glint of her diamond ring on the ring finger was clear as daylight—so was the Uchiha fan embroidered on the back of her doctor's coat.

Naruto instantly felt sick.

"There's no way," he whispered. His mouth became dry.

That traitor Uchiha was back in the village?

"I…" Naruto paused as he looked back to the hospital bed, "I think I'd be best for me to lie down." Carefully shifting back into his bed, Naruto leaned into his pillow and pulled some of the sheets over his body. He noted how Hinata carefully rearrange the blankets. He felt a comfort overflow in his emotionally drained body.

Naruto welcomed it.

He watched silently as she let her hand linger by his face. He refrained from breathing for the next 30 seconds. Her touch was so close. He forced a blush from staining his cheeks. His eyes easily avoided hers as she carefully watched him. And to his comfort, he heard her sigh. She gently tucked the blankets over his shoulders. His eyes were refraining from the other people in the room. His drifting gaze made a dead stop on her hand. Naruto saw the ring; it was simple showing off a single diamond incrusted in the gold band.

He turned back to her pale eyes; adoration and sadness was evident. He didn't like seeing it. Maybe… maybe here he was something _more_ than just friends. Maybe…

His eyes did not waver in nervousness any more. He gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry Hinata-chan; everything will be okay."

Her tears spilled as she leaned down and tried hugging him through the covers. "I'm so sorry Naruto-kun! I'm so sorry!"

The young man's eyes widened. He felt her warmth. He felt her comfort. He felt… _her love_. It suddenly made sense. It still flustered Naruto—she was so close. Still, he embraced the truth and tossed aside any doubt or excuses. She stood there completely his.

Naruto failed to notice his parents leaving the room. In moments like these Minato and Kushina gave space to their son and his wife-to-be.

Her warmth comforted him. His senses became fuzzy. He closed his eyes and felt a coveted peace in her arms. It soothed his soul—his war torn and aching soul. His lips moved on their own accord; the Kyuubi container had no recollection of the words he spoke, but her response came in a single action. Their lips met in a gentle kiss, a kiss that said so much and began healing his broken spirit.

He never wanted to return to reality.

**-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-**

(1) 19 years after the the Kyuubi

I'm looking for a beta reader. Anyone interested?


	2. Chapter 2

_I apologize for the lengthy wait for this chapter. Seems like one of my professors likes to work her students to the max—and then some. Good news is I have part of chapter 3 written and ideas posted on the same word document. Hopefully another update will be sooner._

_Special thanks to those who reviewed: Angelwings-800, zentary, Novantique and Flames of Chaos and Wolf. You four are amazing! :D Thank you for the encouragement! And thank you to those who favored the story and added a story alert! These small actions encourage me to continue writing. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything affiliated with Naruto._

**-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-**

**Chapter 2**

**-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-**

He woke up to a searing pain. He hissed as he began curling into a fetal position. His breaths were labored as he felt the sharp-stabbing destruction of the land under his aching back. Naruto breathed in a few times before wincing as he tried moving his hand. It was extremely stiff and throbbing from a hard, long battle. It was minutes later he dared to open his eyes.

He saw it.

Konohagakure was in ruins.

The land smelt of charred flesh and bloating corpses; he saw nothing but destruction. He had no one left.

This was the end of him.

Why was he still alive?

His burning, dry eyes (had he been crying?) began to drift as he saw the dried blood on Sakura's bloating body. That smile was still on her dirty, chubby face. His gaze immediately shifted to the sky. He refused to look at Sai or Sasuke. He knew they were worse off. With the tilt of the sun, Naruto had no idea how much time had passed other than it was midmorning.

His shoulders sunk. There was no way he wanted to live. Everyone he knew and loved was dead. Now he could never protect those dearest to him. All he loved and cared for was gone, dead, no more.

He closed his eyes once more willing to finally die. There was nothing here, and there was nothing he wanted more than to be in eternal peace. Maybe there he could reunite with the ones he loved…

**-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-**

When Naruto woke again, he found himself warm, content, and cozy. His heavy eyes glanced around lazily as his hands felt the soft satin sheets. These were not the traditional sheets of a hospital bed. Moving his hand a little more to the side, it stopped. He shifted his body over and saw a lump under the covers. His eyes started clearing up as he moved his hand closer to the mass. His eyes widened when he felt warmth, soft warmth…

His mouth became dry.

Carefully, he removed his hand from under the covers only to lift the sheet from a body. His eyes widened when a saw a sleeping person in the spot beside him! His heart began racing as he tried identifying this sleeping figure in some sort of nightgown. He saw her dark hair spread out across the pillow, her face turned way from his view.

Darn it!

He stopped his racing mind.

_No problem here! All I need to do is back away from here slowly and keep myself from waking up this mystery woman. Easy plan, right?_

With his ninja speed and skill, he quickly pulled away the covers and bedding before leaping out to the wood covered floor. The covers shifted in the now empty spot on the bed.

Stilling himself from a sudden wave of dizziness, he looked around the room for an exit. His squinted eyes caught sight of a door! Banzai!

His only problem? The unknown woman was facing towards the door. He hoped in all he had that she would NOT wake up. He was a little confused why he woke up with such a person in the strange bed, but his self-preservation skills were telling him to get the heck out of that place!

He swallowed hard before sending chakra to his feet and carefully placing his feet on the side of the wall. Wooden floor was always a good thing to have in a house if you wanted to be alerted of intruders. Now the floor was not such a good thing.

Carefully walking on the walls, his eyes carefully saw the sleeping face of the woman. His chakra control instantly died down, and he fell onto the hard ground.

Just his luck.

As he lay on the ground rubbing his sore head, he heard some rustling. His face paled.

Looking up, he saw a smile of amusement. Hinata kept her head on the pillow, but her shining eyes and bright smile gave another message.

"What are you doing Naruto-kun?" she asked with humor.

His face changed from white to red in one second. His eyes instantly closed as he rubbed the back of his head with a guilty smile. _BUSTED!_ He had no idea what to do. He had never been faced with such a situation before!

_**Play along kit.**_

Naruto's eyes widened at the Kyuubi's words. _Play along?_

He looked back to an expectant woman who was slowly pulling the covers away from her pale body.

Naruto did what came to his mind. He laughed nervously. And then lied. "Y-you were sleeping so peacefully Hinata-chan! I-I didn't want to wake you up!"

She gave him a playful smile, "I would believe you… if you weren't stuttering as much as I did when I was a child."

He began laughing, "I don't know what you mean!" _Deny, deny, DENY!!_

She got out of the bed and neared him. He was still lying on the ground when she sat down. She carefully picked up his shoulders before scooting under his head. His aching head was carefully placed in her _soft_ lap.

His face turned from red to purple.

He felt her fingers run through his crazy yellow mane of hair. He instantly felt chills run through his spin and down to the toes of his body. He started relaxing, against the will of his racing mind.

"Naruto-kun, are you still feeling the effects of the…"

Naruto paused and looked up to the young woman. Her eyes were shifting as if nervous to say something. He tried giving her an encouraging smile, "Hinata-chan?"

She looked down to his clear blue eyes.

"You can say it Hinata-chan. I won't be offended about anything you say."

Some how, those words just flowed from his lips. It was… almost natural.

She smiled down, now extremely comfortable with him mentioning those words to her—such sweet words. "Are you still feeling the effects of the medicine?"

His eyebrows curled into confusion, "Medicine?" He saw her eyes widen immediately and her come to a dead stop. He noticed his mistake before adding, "Which one? I can't remember…" The tension instantly cleared.

She smiled down to him as her right hand began making a trail from his side burn down to the small beginnings of a beard. "The medicine for the multiple personality disorder."

His eyes widened.

_No._

He glanced up to her expectant eyes before he smiled nervously. "I feel much better than I have been, if that's what you're asking."

She smiled down at him. She seemed satisfied with her answer.

Good.

Naruto breathed out a _mental_ sigh of relief as he felt her rub his face lovingly. A smile crossed his lips as her hand began tracing his sharp jaw-line and down to his neck, Adam's apple, collar bone… his bare chest…

His heart began speeding up once more, his eyes wide and face red once more. _'What is she DOING_?'

He was about to reach his hand to stop her, but the ever-helpful voice of the demon fox stopped him from lifting a finger. _**You know you are living someone else's reality, correct kit? **_

That chilled Naruto's soul. He really wished he wasn't told that. He almost wished it was his new life, or in the least some sort of dream world, not someone else's reality.

_**Kit?**_

'_I'm listening,' _replied the jinchuuriki after a moment of hesitation.

_**Almost lost you there, kit. Wouldn't want you to fall asleep or faint on me.**_

Naruto bit his lip. Hinata was still running a hand through his messy blond hair. He might as well ask the stupid fox… _'Kyuubi. What do you know about Hinata?'_

There was a dark chuckle. Naruto was starting to hate it when the demon fox did that.

_**Brace yourself, kit. **_

There was a momentary pause before--

_**She is your lovely fiancé.**_

And that comment would have caused Naruto to fall over and crash on his head, much like he did when he discovered Hinata sleeping beside him.

_**She is keeping you at her apartment during your "recovery". **_

Well that explained why he didn't recognize the room or bed. And why she was there beside him…

_**The stupid humans think you are suffering from some mental anguish—they don't realize you actually switched souls with the Naruto of this world.**_

Naruto stopped in mid movement. _What? What are you talking about?_

_**You heard me. The kit of this world is facing the word your weak mind can't handle, granted that idiot is a bit more spoiled than you; going to your world is truly a wake up call or so his Kyuubi tells me.**_

Guilt infiltrated through Naruto's gut. Someone else was forced to face his fate? His pain? His horror? His grief?

_**Enjoy the time you have here kit. It will be a short visit as your shattered mentality heals from the horrors it faced.**_

_But… but how?_

_**Consider it an early birthday present from me.**_

He felt his body shaken. "Naruto?"

The jinchuuriki blinked. "Huh?"

She smiled, "I thought I lost you for a minute. What are you thinking about?"

He hesitated. _**She knows about me kit. Don't lie.**_

"I'm communicating to the Kyuubi."

"Oh?"

"Yeah…"

"And what does the Kyuubi want?"

_**I'm teasing you about how I'll get a peep show.**_

Naruto wasted no time. "The Kyuubi is teasing me about how it'll get a peep show if we go any further."

Hinata gave a small 'eep!' before bringing her hands away from Naruto's bare chest. He gave a laugh, a nervous laugh, but one that helped get him out of such a compromising problem.

Yeah, this wasn't turning out as well as he hoped… His poor heart could only take so much. (sigh)

"So… Naruto-kun?"

He looked up, "Hmm?"

"Do you want to go out for Ramen?"

No one had to ask him twice!

**-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-**

He used his senses to the max. The smell of cooking food absolutely teased his starving senses. He heard people laughing and talking; this teased his desire to be around the people he wished to protect. His body felt the cool wind, and his hands lightly touched the stable buildings, whole and firm as they protected storeowners, customers, and products from the elements. He sees the joy in people's faces as they traveled through Konohagakure.

He saw old friends. He stopped to chat with Kiba, Shino, and even Lee! All were wearing the standard Jounin vest. It felt so good to speak to life-long comrades and friends. It was good to see their smiling faces again.

It was good to see them alive and well…

Hinata had carefully pulled him away from the ninjas. "They all have special missions to achieve, Naruto," she kindly whispered in his ear. "We still need to go get ramen."

No one had to tell Naruto twice!

The jinchuuriki, a warrior with experience, could not resist the urge to hug his former comrades. Who knew when he'd be forced back into the hellhole of an existence—his own reality?

The young men gave Naruto quizzical stares. Naruto merely laughed as he rubbed the back of his head. "I never thanked you three. You know, for the times you watched my back?"

"YOSH!" shouted the most energetic of the trio. Lee placed on hand on his hip, the other jutted out with a thumb up. "You can always count on us Naruto-san!"

Images of Lee's strangled body lay across a rooftop.

_His bruised face stared straight ahead as he eternally rested in a contorted position…_

Naruto blinked his eyes.

Kiba chuckled, "I could have never said it better." The Jounin turned up to his former blond classmate. "There's nothing that will keep us from watching each other's backs."

Naruto's eyes landed on the dog handler, Kiba.

--_shreds of flesh remained. Nothing but his blood and a ruined family crest on a dislocated shoulder identified the once lethal tracking ninja…_

He snapped out of his trance with a single touch. His once blank eyes turned up. He peered into the spectacles of Shino.

Although the mysterious man was silent, he was one you could always relied on to keep things in line, even to death.

_Oblivion._

_He turned his body into a cavity for insects during his last battle against Sasuke. _

_The wind was heaviest that day._

_His insects triggered the most deadly of strategies. His chakra easily sucked dry. His bones became nothing more than a cavity for insects… his skin became the very dust of the earth…_

"Uh, earth to Naruto," uttered a sarcastic voice.

It was a strangely familiar voice.

Naruto's blue eyes turned towards the voice. Only a handful of things could give Naruto a bigger surprise than the ninja standing before him. "Sai."

_--Lying in a pool of blood. His pale skin was caked in grime. _

His skin still illuminated an eerie white.

_His dark eyes were lifeless, and his body remained unmoving—_

His eyes were filled with life, humor, and curiosity. His clothing still showed off a six-pack of muscles. His lips, normally sporting a fake smile curved into a smirk of the purest sarcasm.

Sai actually showed emotion.

"It's time you woke up Sleeping Beauty," commented the artist as he smiled much like his counterpart. His smile stood sincere.

"S-Sai?" dumbly asked Naruto. He never saw his comrade in arms act in such a manner! For goodness sakes! Sai never understood what a smile was until he read the definition from a book, saw it in action, and then read another definition!

Sai chuckled as he nodded his head, "Who else would it be? Saritobi-sama wishes to speak to you. He sent me ahead to let you know."

The son of the 4th Hokage dumbly nodded. He itched to reach out and hug the man, the ninja who save his hide more times than he knew… especially during that _last_ battle.

…_His cold dead features…_

"Naruto?"

The jinchuuriki realized a special someone stood beside him during this whole encounter. Turning his attention to her face, she gave him a small look of concern. 'Of course she would be concerned with me,' internally thought Naruto as he grabbed her hands. His thumb played with the engagement ring his counterpart offered her. 'I'm her fiancée'. He gave her a smile, an encouraging smile before placing a small (almost hesitant) kiss on her cheek. It felt like the right thing to do.

"I'm going to find the old man and see what he wants," grinned Naruto playfully as Hinata smiled in return. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks.

Naruto craved this excitement. He wished this were his reality and not someone else's…

His hand slipped from Hinata's.

He turned his body away from all his brother's-in-arms. He couldn't stand it. He ran as quickly as he could away from them. He hid his guilt, sadness, and fear while dashing towards a certain individual. He easily lost himself in the crowd.

It was a good thing Naruto didn't need to run far.

He heard his name over the crowd.

The son of Minato stopped in mid step. He stared straight ahead. One figure stood amongst them, a distinguished figure. Naruto never thought he'd see the man again…

Again, Naruto heard his name called out.

"Old man…" whispered Naruto with wide eyes.

Before Naruto stood the elder and retired Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. He felt his chest hurt, and his hand went up to rub the aching spot. How long had it been? Years? It didn't matter. The jinchuuriki's emotions were too much. After seeing former teammates and friends alive and well, it messed greatly with his mental health. He was extremely close to shedding a tear—especially since he saw this man buried in the ground at the tender age of twelve. This was the only man who acknowledged Naruto as a human being and not of the monster in his belly.

Remaining strong, Naruto stood straighter as he brought up the hand rubbing his chest into the air. He waved enthusiastically. His smile outshone all others. "Sarutobi-sama!"

The old man, in return, greeted the jinchuuriki with a smile and small nod. He pulled the pipe from his lips as he calmly sauntered to the young man. He stopped and stood a few steps before the young jinchuuriki. The old man's smile made Naruto's chest ache all over again. "Fine weather we are having today," commented the former Hokage carefully placing the pipe back into his mouth.

Naruto simply rubbed the back of his head ruffling with the messy locks of blond hair. "It sure it old man!"

Sarutobi merely smiled. "Come with me Naruto. I wish to discuss a matter with you." Naruto almost fell over. Was it something his counterpart did? He sure didn't want to get the heat for something he didn't do! "You're not in trouble Naruto—" Naruto gave a HUGE sigh, "—but something did catch my attention. I wish to discuss it on the Hokage monument."

"Of course, sir," respectfully replied the younger with a tilt of the head. His eyes squinted closed as he internally questioned _why_ such a matter might come up at a time like this. "Now?"

A small smile was Naruto's only reply from the former Hokage. Not another word was mentioned as Sarutobi bit his thumb, slid it across his hand, and performed some hand signals. He disappeared in a puff of smoke.

'Oh boy…_' _thought Naruto_, '_he knows something_.'_

_**Better that old geezer than the one who sealed me in your gut.**_

True.

And he mirrored Sarutobi's actions. He brought his hands up to flash the same signals after breaking the skin on his thumb. "Kya!" he shouted as his body transported in a flash.

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